Serving The Lord With Gladness - Getting More Out Of The Lord's Supper

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                    "SERVING THE LORD WITH GLADNESS"

                 Getting More Out Of The Lord's Supper

INTRODUCTION

1. The Lord's Supper was an important activity in the weekly assemblies
   of the early church...
   a. The Didache (ca. 95 A.D.) indicates Christians were to come
      together on the first day of the week to break bread - Didache
      14:1
   b. Justin Martyr (ca. 150 A.D.) records how Christians assembled on
      Sunday and partook of the Supper - Apology I, 67
   c. "...the early church writers from Barnabas, Justin Martyr,
      Irenaeus, to Clement of Alexandria, Origen and Cyprian, all with
      one consent, declare that the church observed the first day of the
      week. They are equally agreed that the Lord's Supper was observed
      weekly, on the first day of the week." - B. W. Johnson, People's
      New Testament

2. It is an activity that can be easily abused...
   a. The church at Corinth abused its observance of it - cf. 1Co 11:
      17-22
   b. The weekly frequency can easily lead to it becoming a meaningless
      exercise, with grave consequences - cf. 1Co 11:27

3. But when properly observed, it can be...
   a. A truly spiritual manifestation of worship
   b. A source of wonderful fellowship and great blessings
   c. A key element of "Serving The Lord With Gladness"

[That we might get more out of our weekly observance, let's first
review...]

I. THE LORD'S SUPPER IN OUR ASSEMBLIES

   A. A MEMORIAL...
      1. Note Paul's account as given by the Lord Himself - 1Co 11:
         23-25
         a. We eat the bread in memory of His body
         b. We drink the cup (fruit of the vine) in memory of His blood
      2. We therefore commemorate the death of Jesus on the cross - Mt
         26:28
         a. Whose death make the new covenant possible - He 9:16
         b. Whose blood was shed for the remission of sins - Ep 1:7
      -- As the Passover was a memorial commemorating Israel's
         deliverance from Egypt through the blood of the lambs on the
         door post, so the Supper is a memorial of our Lord's death who
         makes our deliverance from the bondage of sin possible

   B. A PROCLAMATION...
      1. We proclaim our faith in the efficacy of the Lord's death
         - 1Co 11:26a
         a. That His death was indeed for our sins
         b. If we did not believe He died for our sins, then why keep
            the Supper?
      2. We also proclaim our faith in the Lord's return - 1Co 11:26b
         a. For it is to be done "till He comes"
         b. If we did not believe He is coming, then why keep the
            Supper?
      -- Thus the Lord's Supper looks forward as well as backward, and
         will ever be observed by His disciples who trust in His
         redemption and anticipate His return!

   C. A COMMUNION...
      1. A fellowship or sharing in the blood of Christ - 1Co 10:16a
         a. As we partake, we commune with the blood of Christ
         b. Perhaps in the sense of reinforcing blessings we enjoy
            through the blood of Christ - cf. 1Jn 1:7,9
      2. A fellowship or sharing in the body of Christ - 1Co 10:16b-17
         a. As we partake, we commune with the body of Christ
         b. Perhaps in the sense of reinforcing fellowship together in
            the body of Christ (i.e., the church), as we break bread
            together
      -- As a fellowship meal, the Supper brings us closer to Jesus and
         to one another

II. GETTING MORE OUT OF THE LORD'S SUPPER

   A. MAKE IT A TIME OF REVERENCE...
      1. It should be observed "in a worthy manner" (NKJV) - 1Co 11:
         27,29
         a. The KJV says 'worthily', which some have misunderstood
         b. It is an adverb, describing how we take it, not whether we
            are worthy (none are truly worthy)
      2. It should be observed with respect for the supreme price Jesus
         paid for our sins
         a. E.g., the cruel torture and humiliation of His physical body
         b. E.g., the anguish suffered as Jesus hung on the cross
      3. Failure to observe with proper reverence brings condemnation
         - 1Co 11:27,29
         a. One will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord
         b. One will eat and drink judgment to himself
      -- To make light of this memorial puts one in the same category as
         those who mocked Him as He hung on the cross!

   B. MAKE IT A TIME OF REFLECTION...
      1. To reflect on the suffering Christ endured - 1Co 11:24-25
         a. By reading passages like Ps 22, Isa 53, and the gospel
            accounts of Christ's suffering
         b. By reading songs written to prepare us for partaking of the
            Supper
      2. To reflect on one's spiritual condition - 1Co 11:28
         a. Are we living in a manner that shows appreciation for His
            sacrifice?
         b. Have we accepted the grace of God in our lives? - cf. 2 Co
            5:18-6:1
         c. Are we living for Jesus who died for us? - cf. 2Co 5:14-15;
            Ga 2:20
         d. Are we guilty of willful sinning? - cf. He 10:26-29
         e. Do we, by refusing to repent of our sins, crucify Him again?
            - cf. He 6:4-6
      -- The Supper is a very private time between a Christian and his
         Lord; a time to reflect on Christ's death and its meaning for
         our life!

   C. MAKE IT A TIME OF REUNION...
      1. There is ample indication the Supper is designed to be a
         communal meal
         a. The disciples "came together" to break bread - Ac 20:7
         b. When they came together, they were to "wait for one another"
            - 1Co 11:33
         c. Partaking together of "one bread", they demonstrate they are
            "one bread and one
            body" - 1Co 10:16
      2. We commune not just with the Lord, but with one another as
         brethren
         a. Make a special effort to assemble with others for the Lord's
            Supper each Lord's Day
         b. Give thanks for the unity Christ's death makes possible for
            us to share - Ep 2:13-16
      -- The Supper is a time to reinforce our oneness in the Body of
         Christ!

CONCLUSION

1. The Psalmist proclaims why we should "serve the Lord with
   gladness"...

   "...It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His
   people and the sheep of His pasture." (Ps 100:3)

2. And how is it possible for us to be 'His people and the sheep of His
   pasture"...?
   a. Because Jesus is the Door of the sheep- Jn 10:7-10
   b. Because Jesus is the Good Shepherd who gave His life for His sheep
      - Jn 10:11,14-16

3. This is why the Lord's Supper should be a weekly observance done with
   gladness...
   a. It is a time of reverence in respect to Him who died for us
   b. It is a time of reflection which should renew us to live for Him
   c. It is a time of reunion in which we experience the union for which
      He died

Shall we not make the weekly observance of the Lord's Supper an
important element in our "Serving The Lord With Gladness"...?
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